A seal of this type is described in DE 100 80 61. The seal axially seals off a rolling bearing with respect to environmental influences which act on the rolling bearing in the axial direction. Two deflector rings, which engage radially inside one another, are arranged without contact with one another. Three radial fins which are axially adjacent to one another project from each deflector ring. Each of the radial fins engages radially between two of the radial fins, which are axially adjacent to one another, on the opposite deflector ring. The engagement is contact-free, with the result that the seal forms a labyrinth. On account of the labyrinth, the seal is axially open to the surrounding environment outside the seal or outside the bearing into the bearing. The arrangement of the deflector rings is selected in such a way that the seal is effective both with the shaft rotating and with the housing rotating.
Contact-free sealing systems seal off rolling bearing arrangements or similar systems with low power losses and with long-term operating reliability. The seal has to protect the system that is to be protected, for example a rolling bearing of a wheel bearing arrangement, against the penetration of foreign bodies from the surrounding environment and has to prevent lubricants from escaping from the system to the surrounding environment. In this context, the term surrounding environment is to be understood as meaning all the influences which act on the seal from the outside and against which a system, such as a rolling bearing, needs to be sealed by means of the seal. This may be the overall environment of the bearing (seal) or alternatively a mechanical system or the like mounted ahead of the seal.
The roles performed by modern contactless seals are mainly:
1. Shielding                the entry region of the seal from being directly influenced by contamination, in particular from being splashed with liquids.        
2. Deflecting                The seal must offer the smallest possible surface that can be attacked by contamination, in particular wetting. The build-up of liquids from the environment surrounding the seal in the immediate vicinity of the seal or at the seal is to be avoided.        
3. Diverting                Keeping spray jets and contamination from the gap entry to the seal away from the seal by diverting them at the seal.        
4. Flushing                freely discharging or flushing away contaminants which come into contact with the seal, and flushing away the liquid returned from the seal.        
5. Throttling                narrow gaps at the seal reduce the through-flow quantity.        
6. Trapping                contamination as far as possible before it enters the seal or in the seal before it enters the system that has to be protected.        
7. Returning                dirt and collected liquid which have penetrated into the gaps of the seal.        
8. blocking                For example against the penetration of liquid into the seal and against the escape of lubricants from the system.        
The operational principles described above have been only partially realized in the prior art considered above.